431 BCE, Phokis, Greece

"Barnabas."

Perhaps it was the tone in her voice, with the underlying threat of being displeased, or perhaps it was the sense of guilt for his obvious crime, or maybe... it was just that he was feeling jumpy today. But Kassandra was willing to bet it had more to do with the first and second options rather than the third.

"Ah, Commander!" He said, turning around with a slightly-forced smile on his face, awkwardly motioning with his arm towards the bay. "What a wonderful morning this is! Have you come to gaze upon the beauty of Eos with me?"

Kassandra crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "It is truly a sight to behold," she agreed, not even looking at the sun peeking from behind the horizon. "And I would have loved to have the blessings of Helios and Aeolus on our way back to Thera, but do you know who has decided to bless us instead today?"

Barnabas shuffled in place, glancing at the several passed out sailors, along with the ones still frolicking with the locals. "We will be ready to set sail, Kassandra, I can guarantee it!"

"It was none other than Dionysos himself," Kassandra continued, ignoring his words. "Ah, but that's not all, he decided to bring with him Achlys, just to make sure some of us would not be ready to depart today."

"Pah," Barnabas said with a wave of his hand and a nervous chuckle. "No sailor worth his salt—"

"She decided to grant one of her minor blessings upon our dear friend, Herodotus, who for some unknown reason—" she glared at him "—overindulged and now is wishing she had fully blessed him to spare his pain."

Barnabas cleared his throat. "Well, you see, Commander…"

"I do. And I don't like what I see."

"A-anyway, I assure you Commander, it was all for good reason!" the man insisted, and Kassandra found herself both, anticipating the excuse, and dreading it.

"Okay then, out with it," she said.

"You see, while I didn't tell the whole crew that you had visited Hades exactly…"

"Barnabas…"

"I might have mentioned that you helped young Phoibe to go to Elysium to meet her parents…"

"Barnabas... we have talked about keeping secrets, have we not?"

"Well, yes! But can you blame us for feeling happy that such a tragic, young child… found happiness in the afterlife? A brave girl who made her way through the Underworld to meet her parents, and almost tragically died again only to reach Elysium with your aid! We needed to celebrate!"

Kassandra rubbed her forehead. "I was wondering why the locals were looking at me like that. Now they all think I'm some sort of goddess!"

Barnabas replied with a shrug and motioning at her with his hands.

Kassandra looked down at her Atlantean armor, very similar indeed to the armor worn by Athenian heroes of old, and other than leather, made with unknown materials. "It's an armor, Barnabas."

"You can hardly blame people for believing you're a goddess if you look like Athena herself decided to descend from Olympus and take a stroll through Phokis when you're dressed like that!"

"People can create amazing things!" she countered, trying to ignore the fact that it did, kind of make her look like Athena. Especially considering that it made her Isu side a bit more apparent. "This could all be a trick! It's just a fancy armor!"

"And let's not forget that you ride a horse that is technically made of fire." The look he gave her was enough for her to back down. That was harder to explain. As a matter of fact, she had no idea why she could make Phobos look like that, but it did add a lot of shock value whenever she rode into battle when her horse took the Abraxas mantle. "Or that we have seen you go underwater for more time than is possible for any human."

"Fine, fine, I get your point." She shook her head, forcing herself to return to the item at hand. "But even then, you know Herodotus cannot drink that much. I need you to keep that in mind in the future, Barnabas."

"Of course, Commander! I will not forget it!"

"Alright, then I will talk to you soon." Kassandra walked away from the remains of the party and towards the town itself, mentally going over everything she had to do. A visit to the blacksmith wouldn't be a bad idea. Her weapons needed sharpening after all, given the constant use, and if she was going to seek more adventures… well. Better be prepared.

She stopped to shift through her belongings, stopping when she noticed the slightly shimmering piece of blue metal in her pocket. "Well, I am in Pokis, might as well, see if Sargon has any use for a single piece."

The walk through the busy, coastal town was always pleasant. Phokis was just far away enough from Attika and Lakonia to be on the fringe of the war. Sure, it traded places with who was in charge often enough, but it was far from the suffering around Athens to seem peaceful in comparison. The more one went inland, however… well, it wasn't her concern right now.

She made her way through the market to the docks and looked down towards the Oikos of Olympus Sargon's store of odds and ends than ever ceased to surprise. "Sargon!" she called, as she stepped under the tent.

"Ah, Kassandra!" the merchant chortled, waving her in. "How is my favorite misthios?"

"Ashore for now, unfortunately," Kassandra said, taking his forearm in a strong shake. "How is business?"

Sargon shrugged, motioning with his hand at the several items in his tent. "Better than ever! Now, tell me..." He leaned in with a glint in his eye. "Have you found any more orichalcum?"

She sighed. "Just the one piece," she said, pulling it out of her bag and tossing it at him. "I don't suppose you have anything worth it?"

Sargon shook his head. "None of the usual things of interest to you that I can sell for a single piece." He thought about it for a moment, before snapping his fingers and opening a drawer. "The only thing I have is this." He lifted a small, flat, rectangular object. It had silver engravings and marks that made up some sort of design. A sun?

2018, Greece - Safe House

Layla Hassan gasped as she sat up violently, shaking her head. She took off the Animus and rested her head against the cold stone of a nearby stair to gather herself before picking up the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus. "Aletheia, did Kassandra just find a business card?!"

When there was no response, she immediately turned around, "Victoria—" she stopped, looking at the carefully arranged body of her friend. With a pang of guilt, she sat down on the stone floor and took a deep breath. Half the time she needed to remind herself she wasn't going crazy… that she was responsible for her own actions, that she needed to learn how to control the staff, before it controlled her.

The reality of her current situation weighed heavy on her. After the incident in Atlantis, she had convinced the others that spending more time with Kassandra would help her gain better control of the Staff… something that seemed to be working, as the bleeding effect from Alexios was now little more than a trickle. A trickle that exposed how dangerous this was for her mental health.

But still, she was the only one who could use the power of the staff, now that Kassandra was gone. And she needed to learn more. She sat on the computer and checked the code, just to make sure nothing had been added without her knowledge, but it seemed to be just fine.

Which could only mean one thing. Kassandra had found an actual business card.

In 430 BCE.

"Oh this better have a good explanation," she muttered. "Maybe an Isu artifact? Did Isu even use business cards?"

She sat down and sighed, putting on the animus. Only one way to find out.

431 BCE, Phokis, Greece

Kassandra turned the object in her hands this way and that as she walked out of Sargon's store, walking out of town so she could examine it uninterrupted. "I swear that malaka sold me something completely useless. The symbols don't match anything I've seen before." She lifted it up so that it could reflect the light of the sun. "How do you even use this? Is it a clue to some ancient ruin?"

She sighed and dragged a hand down her face. "This is stupid. I can't believe I traded that piece of orichalcum for it."

"Oh, so that's where it ended up!" a voice said.

Kassandra blinked. Then blinked again. The woman that had just approached her was gorgeous, tall, with long purple-blue hair that curled at the ends, wearing a lovely one piece dress with a gold vest and bracelets. She had long, sensual legs and unusual blue eyes, however her ivory-white skin had familiar glowing patterns on it, which didn't make sense… because they should not be possible. "Are you a goddess?"

"Well, I've been called a great many things, dear, but I assure you I'm quite the opposite," the woman said. Then admired her own arm, tracing a finger on the Isu designs. "But if you're asking because of these, don't worry, I am not one of the Isu."

Kassandra raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I find that hard to believe. You are as tall as one, and as beautiful as Persephone herself."

The woman giggled. "Oh my, you really are a charmer."

"So, about this… device." Kassandra said, showing the woman the object she had obtained. "What is it?"

"A very special card," the woman replied. "It's usually not something you purchase, but I imagine you got it at the Oikos of Olympus?"

"Yes, Sargon traded it to me for a piece of orichalcum."

"Sargon?" the woman asked. "That young kid?" She shook her head. "He has no idea of the worth of that card. But now it's yours, Kassandra. I suggest maybe taking a stroll downtown. I'll have to talk to him about giving away such a precious artifact. I don't know how he expects to keep in business."

Kassandra nodded, and bowed a little, letting the not-goddess pass. She was an odd one, claiming not to be Isu, but as far as interactions with the gods went, that had been suspiciously nice.

Shaking her head, she summoned the Staff of Hermes. "Aletheia, who was that?"

"Unknown, Keeper. She is not Isu."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Kassandra muttered. "She looked like an Isu and even talked like one."

"Subject is not Isu. Attempts to scan the subject failed. Unknown technology is at work."

Kassandra sighed and shook her head, pacing in place before dismissing the staff. "I suppose it was just a matter of time before I would be dragged into another strange adventure." She resisted the urge to swear at the heavens, and took a deep breath. "Very well. To town we go."

431 BCE, Sunset's Isekai, Greece

Sunset heard the door open and the chime ring.

"Malaka," an unfamiliar voice muttered. "I knew this was going to get me in trouble. Where am I now?"

Heavy footsteps followed, and then a woman stepped in. Perfect balance between muscle and height, wearing the same type of armor she had seen Achilles wear in other universes. She stopped and looked around the bar, clearly bewildered before turning to look at Sunset herself.

"Athena?"

The woman dragged a hand down her face. "Okay, I give up. I guess I owe Barnabas an apology," she said, marching over to the bar. "But no, I am not Athena. My name is Kassandra."

"Right," Sunset said, blinking at the vehemence in her tone. "Nice to meet you, Kassandra, my name is Sunset Shimmer, and this is my little bar in the multiverse: Sunset's Isekai."

Kassandra took a moment to nod, then study the area. "So, a kapeleion." She sat down and pulled out one of Sunset's business cards, showing it to her. "This, and a goddess, are what brought me here."

"A goddess?" Sunset asked. "I don't have that many Greek goddess acquaintances, especially in this dimension. Can you be more specific?"

"Tall, really white skin, long blue hair, a bit haughty. Blue eyes."

"Rarity," Sunset surmised. "Okay, don't let her hear you calling her a goddess, it'll go to her head."

Kassandra smiled. "Too late, but she did tell me she wasn't one."

"That's unusually humble of her," Sunset said, causing Kassandra to chuckle. She handed her guest a menu, which Kassandra took.

"This is…" the warrior woman's eyebrows shot up. "It reminds me of Atlantis, but it's very different still. Less flashy."

Sunset shrugged. "Eh. I don't see the point of being too flashy. People come here for drinks, not to watch the pretty lights and colors I could make happen."

Kassandra shrugged and nodded.

2018, Greece - Safe House

"Guys," Layla called out on the radio, "can you hear me?" She was sitting down on the computer again, studying the code from the last hour of simulation. "I'm having something really strange happening in the Animus. Is there any sign of interference?"

"Nothing that we can detect," Alannah replied through the radio. "There's been no noise and as far as we can tell, the connection is secure."

"Kassandra just walked into a bar, guys," Layla insisted, typing furiously. "An honest-to-goodness, speakeasy bar, in the middle of Ancient Greece."

She could almost hear the incredulity through the silence in the comms.

Finally, Alannah found her voice. "Are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk!" Layla snapped. "I've been checking the code to make sure that I'm not imagining things, but there's no interference or anything wrong with it! As far as I can tell, Kassandra did go to this 'Sunset's Isekai' place!"

"Did you say 'Isekai'?" Kiyoshi asked, his voice curious.

"Yes, I haven't gotten around to looking up for the meaning, I was convinced someone hacked into the system and was making me see things." Layla pulled up the ancient greek dictionary on her computer.

"It's not a Greek word," Kiyoshi said, making her pause. "It's Japanese. It means 'another world', or 'other world'."

The silence returned to the coms.

"She did say it was multidimensional," Layla muttered.

"Wait, who did?" Alannah asked. "I'm getting lost here. It's like you're talking about a bunch of characters from a book or movie that I haven't seen. You need to be more specific."

"Fine, fine, miss history expert with substantial knowledge of church-construction and ancient documents." Layla growled. "I'm talking about the bartender, one Sunset Shimmer, who had an Isu acquaintance named Rarity. Does that ring a bell to you, or you mister ex-yakuza?"

"Now you're just being facetious," Alannah said.

"I'm just being more specific," Layla said, shrugging although they couldn't see her. "You know, so that whoever reads this report has something to use as reference."

"Right," Kiyoshi said. "I don't know anything about this Sunset's Isekai."

"And neither do I," Allannah added. "I'll start looking into it."

"Okay, I'm going back into the animus—you know, the device that lets us see through the eyes of ancient people through the use of—"

"I know you're not supposed to stay in there too long, but you should definitely go in there again. Like now."

Smirking, Layla laid back and put the animus on. "See you guys soon."

431 BCE, Sunset's Isekai, Greece

"Your list of wines is quite extensive," Kassandra said. "What is Qualinost wine?"

"It's wine made in Qualinesti, it's less aged than the Silvanesti wine; more fruity, with hints of nuts and pine."

"I have never heard of it."

"It's made by elves."

2018, Greece - Safe House

"Seriously guys," Layla snapped. "Who's messing with the animus? Don't you know that's dangerous?"

"Noone's messing with it, Layla, just shut up and stay in there while we search!"

431 BCE, Sunset's Isekai, Greece

"Never heard of elves either," Kassandra said. "I'll try it."

"Alright!" Sunset said, picking up a bottle and dusting it off. "Two-hundred year old Qualinesti wine red wine," she said, showing the branding on the bottle to Kassandra, who nodded.

"I have no idea what it says there either."

Sunset chuckled, "sorry, sorry, force of habit."

"Also, didn't you say it was a younger wine? Two hundred years doesn't sound too young to me."

"Oh, it is… elves live very long lives," Sunset said, pouring the wine into a glass.

Kassandra took it gingerly with her fingers. "I'm not used to this…"

Sunset gasped. "Oh, of course, I'm so sorry!" she said, "please put it down again."

Curious, Kassandra did as instructed, and took a hasty step back from her seat when Sunset snapped her fingers and the glass was replaced by a kylix decorated with prancing horses, pegasi and unicorns on the outside. "Malaka!"

"No need to swear," Sunset said with a small smile. "Don't tell me there's no magic where you come from."

Kassandra gave her a glare and sat down, carefully picking up the cup and studying it. "It's… impressive. I noticed you didn't water the wine, are you perhaps familiar with Alkibiades?"

"Does sound familiar, but I don't know him personally. I believe Rarity said he was one of the people she'd be visiting."

"Huh." Kassandra carefully sipped the wine. "Very nice… I guess elves can take the time to allow the wine to reach perfection."

Sunset nodded. "One of the perks of living very long lives," she said.

"Might as well get used to it," Kassandra said, taking another sip.

Sunset gave her an odd look. "What do you mean?"

Kassandra pulled out the Staff of Hermes. "This staff was given to me by my father, and until I meet the Heir of Memories in the distant future, and she is ready to receive it, I am sworn as its Keeper to protect it."

"Interesting," Sunset murmured, waving her fingers in the air.

"Unauthorized scan detected. Keeper, protect the Staff."

She quickly pulled the staff away and stored it, but Sunset had already stopped wiggling her fingers. "Curiouser and curiouser," her host muttered. "It's not magical, although it's very advanced technology."

Kassandra rolled her eyes. "So, now are you going to demand I give it to you? Or tell me about a new quest?"

"Nope!" Sunset said. "You're here as my guest, and that's that. Besides, if you're here, you probably have things you need a sympathetic ear for a couple of reasons. And I imagine your newfound immortality is one of them."

Kassandra felt her eyebrow rise. "Not bad." She sighed, motioning for Sunset to refill her cup. "It is one of the things that keeps me up since I returned from Atlantis. One of the lessons there was to learn to say goodbye… I saw my friends, who had perished already in Elysium and in Hades… and I couldn't bring them with me."

Sunset nodded. "It's hard… you continue living, but your friends and family slowly age away… and while time stopped for you, it doesn't for those you care about."

Kassandra smirked, looking down at the wine before taking a long drink. "You seem to talk from experience."

"I'm… much older than I seem," her host confessed. "And even though I'm not necessarily trapped by space and time from seeing whoever I want, whenever I want… if I want to respect their lives, or see them as much as I can, they will eventually reach run out of time while I carry on."

Kassandra nodded. "How do you carry on from that?"

"I don't know yet," Sunset admitted. "I have the luxury of being able to do many other things to distract myself before I go back to them, therefore stretching the amount of time they are in my life. But I know that one day I will run out of chances to see them other than in their deathbeds." She licked her lips, summoning one of those fancy transparent glasses she had used earlier and pouring herself some wine. "I realize that I'll have to let go at some point, but I don't know how I will handle it."

"I suppose that's what Aletheia wanted me to understand with my trials in Hades," Kassandra said, tracing a finger on the edge of her kylix. When she noticed Sunset's look, she smiled. "Aletheia was one of the go—Isu, who somehow stored her knowledge into the staff. I can sometimes speak to her, as I assume the Heir will be able to as well. She lived for a really long time, so I suppose she knows what she's talking about."

"Letting go will be hard," Sunset said, nodding. "But I will never forget what my friends brought to my life. I think that way at least, they will carry on forever with me."

Kassandra grinned and raised her cup, taking a sip. "I can toast to that."

"It's still scary, though," Sunset admitted, lifting her glass to toast as well. "I know many others who are immortal and have gone through that grief many times. I can only hope I am just as strong."

"I'm sure you are," Kassandra replied. "And it seems that you have plenty of friends to help you through." She motioned with her head at the wall full of paintings so realistic she knew they were either magical or the result of some sort of technology she wasn't familiar with.

Sunset smiled. "Yeah, there's always that. You seem very comfortable with this whole situation, considering how different things must be."

"It's hard to be surprised when I've been to what amounts to different worlds," Kassandra responded, looking down at her armor. "Even though I was assured it was a simulation, I still lived it… I met friends, family… I felt every cut and kick. Every bite and burn. I am told it wasn't my own reality, and yet here I am, wearing the armor made for me as the Dikastes of Atlantis.

"My sword, staff, bow, and daggers are made from metal that does not exist in this world… and they cut as true—or better—than any blade made by the best blacksmiths. I ride a horse that, depending on my mood I can transform at will. People look at me as if I'm some sort of goddess, or demi-god… and by all accounts I do have the blood of those we know as gods in me." She lifted her hands to show her inability to explain it. "I don't know how it works, I just know it happens. I know I can fall from the highest cliff and not even feel rattled if I land on solid ground. I am…" She frowned, clenching her fist. "I am a legend brought to life."

Sunset reached over and patted her hand. "Doesn't seem like that makes you happy."

Kassandra sighed, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "It… does not. No. When we hear the legends of Herakles, or Achilles, we hear the glory that came with them, their noble sacrifice or their great fights. We often forget how they die, or worse, what they must have lived through.

"I've met kings, politicians that shape the modern world—well, my modern world, in any case—I've met gods and villains, ghosts and heroes… and it's always 'do this' or 'get that'." Kassandra sighed. "I'm tired… and this is my first lifetime. How am I supposed to live many, many more while I wait for someone who I will meet only briefly before I die?"

"You'll die?"

"If my father was anything to go by, yes." Kassandra cleared her throat. "He had lived close to two hundred years by the time we met, and the moment he gave me the staff…" she gave Sunset a shaky smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sunset said, returning the hand squeeze. "But, if it helps, you're always welcome here if you need someone to talk to."

Kassandra chuckled and sipped her wine again. "Thank you, Sunset." She took a deep breath. "So, you said that I was here for a couple of reasons," she smirked playfully. "What do you suppose is the other reason?"

Sunset shrugged. "I dunno, maybe the other person you have inside of you?"

Kassandra blinked. She had expected some flirting back, not, that kind of answer. "I'm not pregnant." She cleared her throat. "I don't think. I'm not attached to anyone."

"I'll have to introduce you to Freya first if you keep that up." Sunset laughed. "But no, that's not what I meant. There's someone there, tied through science and genetics, looking at things from your point of view, through your eyes and your senses." She leaned back, sliding her hand from under Kassandra's. "That's what my spell tells me anyway. I could have blocked them, but… I'm not sure what your connection is yet, so I didn't want to risk it… and she's gone."

Kassandra's eyes went wide. "That might be the Heir of Memories," she said. "Aletheia said that she was with me right now, and during my travels to Elysium, Hades, and Atlantis."

Sunset gave her a considering look.

2018, Greece - Safe House

"Guys, this person, this Sunset Shimmer—she knew I was there," Layla said into the coms.

"That's impossible!" Kiyoshi replied immediately.

"I saw her transmute a glass of wine into a clay kylix," Layla snapped. "Don't tell me what she can, or can't do! Tell me you found something about her!"

"Other than a relatively obscure character from a My Little Pony spinoff called Equestria Girls, there's nothing we can find about her," Alannah said. "I've sent you a picture of the character."

Layla studied the animated drawing with a sudden sense of dread. "Oh gods. It's her."

"That's a cartoon, Layla," Alannah said, "and a relatively new one, all things considered."

"Surprisingly catchy songs, however," Kiyoshi chipped in.

"Guys, I'm telling you that's her." Layla blinked and looked up, gulping. "What if it's all real? What if Kassandra met a character that can actually transcend dimensions?"

"Well, she's also a unicorn, so now you have something to talk about if you meet her," Allanah replied. "Make sure to tell her she's adorable."

Layla slowly stood up and approached the door that had appeared on her wall. A sun-like yin-yang symbol of it, identical to the one she had seen in the card (and the picture Allanah had sent her) was etched into it. A sign to the side, with a variation of it declared that to be the entrance to Sunset's Isekai.

"I guess I will," she muttered into the microphone as she pulled open the door. A silvery chime announcing her entrance. Within, sitting at the bar, with her helmet resting on the stool next to her, sat Kassandra, and behind the bar was Sunset Shimmer herself.

"You must be the fabled Heir of Memories," Kassandra said, standing up tall. "I am Kassandra, Keeper of the Staff."

"L-layla… so…" In a moment it all clicked in. "So this is how you knew me when we met in Atlantis!"

Kassandra seemed amused. "It appears so, if you've met me, and I have not met you before."

"Come on in, Layla," Sunset said. "Let's have a drink… and maybe you can fill us in into what's happening in your world."

"Layla? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah… Um, I'll be having a drink with Kassandra and Sunset. I'll fill you guys in later."

Sunset grinned knowingly and lifted a bottle. "Elven wine?"

Layla ignored the frantic questions from the others and stepped into the bar fully, closing the door behind her.

Perhaps now she'd have the chance to learn how to control the staff… and maybe change the world for the better.

"Sure."

Author's Notes:

Omake:

Sunset grinned knowingly and lifted a bottle. "Elven wine?"

Layla ignored the frantic questions from the others and stepped into the bar fully, closing the door behind her.

Perhaps now she'd have the chance to learn how to control the staff… and maybe change the world for the better.

"Sure."

She walked up to the bar and sat down, looking at the pictures on the wall. "So you really are a pony unicorn that turned human and now owns a bar."

"Yep! You've heard of me?"

"I did a quick internet search."

Sunset slid the cup of wine to her. "Well, let me know what you think of the fanfic. I think it's pretty accurate."

Barely in time! (It's still Wednesday here in EST time :P)

Anyway, sorry for the delay, and I realize not many might be fans of the AC series, and of those that are, Odyssey might be the... least AC of them all. But I love it and really wanted to write the characters. I hope you all enjoy it, and if you've played, please let me know in the comments if I captured the characters' voice!

-WD